South Carolina has a long history of sightings of dark-coloured or black triangular-shaped craft spanning several decades. I have been studying witness accounts and, in some cases, images taken of the craft by these witnesses. These accounts were found in the databases of MUFON, NUFORC, and UFOINFO. UFOINFO had also taken over hosting of the sightings that were previously being reported to Brian Vike, Director of HBCC UFO Research. (HBCC UFO Research is now under new management.) Some of the reports that I have read have been extremely detailed accounts of craft that have flown unusually low and silently or almost so, often at tree-top level. The craft have sported various colours of lights but the most common reported are white diffuse lights on the apexes and often times a red light in the center on the underside. In light of the number of sightings' reports that have been amassed it must be said that the witnesses could not all be hallucinating, or making mistaken identification of normal aircraft. It would appear that something "real" has been taking place in the skies over South Carolina. PLEASE TAKE NOTE Any links below that refer to MUFON are no longer available as MUFON reformatted their website reports section. Any links below that refer to UFOS NW appear to be defunct so their website may no longer be online. This short 2007 report is an example found on the NUFORC database indicating that triangular craft were being seen quite frequently: National UFO Reporting Center Sighting Report Occurred: 2/22/2007 19:30 (Entered as: Feb. 22,07 19:30) Reported: 3/28/2007 5:01:49 PM 17:01 Posted: 4/27/2007 Location: Greenville, SC Shape: Triangle Duration: a minute, maybe more My daughters and I saw the triangular ufo on February 22 around 7:30 pm, in Greenville SC. It was hard to tell how big it was, but it was close to the tree lines and appeared as large as a bus,maybe larger. It had several lights around the perimeter that were Red, yellow and green. It got above our car and to the left and just disappeared into thin air. PS, there were reports of it being seen in our area, from charlotte NC on down to the coast of SC. http://nuforc.org/webreports/055/S55986.html Note: The witness says "the triangular ufo..." which suggests to me that other reports had already been made at that time and in that area. The reports that I am going to discuss have not, as far as I can discover, been listed on the above databases. I stand corrected if this is not the case. In the years 2008 to 2010 various reports had been submitted to UFO Casebook and UFOs Northwest that had included images in most instances and only those reports will be discussed here. I do not intend delving into photographic analyses as that work was competently addressed by UFO Casebook forum members. My belief is that if the enigma of the triangular craft seen in the skies over South Carolina has any chance of being solved, then witness testimony needs to be taken into consideration just as much as the photographic aspects of the reports. Images can be altered or generated on a computer and are becoming less useful as evidence of an event. It is interesting to note the similarities that start to surface when one looks more carefully at what the witnesses actually "say" when they report their sightings. A word here or there can give us clues. All my observations and comments will be based on the assumption that the witnesses are telling the truth in their reports. I shall start by making a brief mention of the most recent event that occurred on the 16th March 2010, apparently in Greenville, South Carolina, at 8.03 pm. Two images were submitted for perusal along with a brief report from the witness, Mr. H. Further points will be addressed later. http://www.ufocasebook.com/2010/greenvillesc031610.html Shortly afterwards it was discovered that the images appear to have been documented from the same location as an event dated 19th April 2008 at 11.24 am http://www.ufosnw.com/sighting_reports/2008/greenvillesc04192008/greenvillesc04192008.htm Regarding the sighting of the 19th April 2008 we have the initial report made by the witness: "Have I got 2 photos for you. This triangle object flew over my subdivison (sic) and I thought it was a B-3 bomber. (No, it's not!!) There were thunderstorms in Greenville this morning and it was raining and windy. (The clouds did not help in the lighting.) Anyway, I was outside checking on a bird nest that made my front porch its home, when I spotted a triangle shape object heading toward my subdivison (sic.) I went inside and grabbed my camera and took 2 pictures of the unknown object. I would of (sic) taken more but my battery pack died. (I wonder??) The UFO or aircraft came from the west and headed east. Could this be Lockheeds (sic) new toy? It barely made a sound as it flew over. (It sounded like a low humming transformer.) Take Care and Have a Great Weekend." The third photograph had surfaced some days later showing more details on the black triangular craft. There was also reference made to a bird in the third image. Update: 31st March 2010: "elevenaugust" at UFO Casebook Forums has obtained further information from Mr. Puckett at UFOs Northwest. The camera used in this 19th April 2008 event was a Minolta DiMage Z5. As I read more reports I found an event that had taken place on the 13th May 2008 at 11.15 pm about 15 miles from Greenville. http://www.ufosnw.com/sighting_reports/2008/greenvillesc05132008/greenvillesc05132008.htm In this report we are given the following information: "Location of Sighting: About 15 Miles From Greensville (sic,) South Carolina" and then this from the witness: "Description: Hey Mr. Puckett: Last night I was relaxing in my chair in my back yard. There was a full moon in the sky, and at around 11:15 PM I witnessed a black triangle object making a turn as it was about to pass in front of the moon. I had my camera with me and was only able to get one photo. My camera was not able to focus with only a full moon as its light source, but you can see the triangle to the left of the moon. You can really see it when the photo is lightened up. It was a cool nice night with no wind and clear skies. I guess I need to get a better camera because the one I have is over 5 years old. The object made no sound." Note that the witness was sitting in his back yard whilst observing and photographing the "black triangle object." Below the witness report we have the following: "Comments: This is the second time that UFOs Northwest has received photos of triangles from this witness. Click here to read the other report and view photos submitted by witness. The meta data with this photo confirms that the photo was taken at 11:15 PM on May 13, 2008. (This is assuming that the date/time was properly set on the camera.) The meta data also shows that a Konica Minolta Dimage Z5 digital camera was used to take the photos." If we follow the above link we end up at the 19th April 2008 Greenville event which shows a black triangular craft above some roofs that look quite similar to those in the 16th March 2010 Greenville event. However, on this 19th April 2008 event page there is no cross-reference to the 13th May 2008 "full moon" sighting that was apparently recorded by the same witness according to UFOs Northwest. Meanwhile, 15 minutes after this witness recorded his event whilst seated in his back yard "about 15 miles from Greenville," another sighting was taking place, this time in Spartanburg, SC. Spartanburg is approximately 27 miles NE of Greenville, SC. This report was submitted to Peter Davenport at NUFORC at 11:06:42 am on the 14th May 2008, but not posted until 12th June 2008 http://nuforc.org/webreports/063/S63143.html In this report the witness stated: "Last night, May 13, 2008, at around 11:30 pm EST, I was traveling home on US 29 AKA East Main St. Spartanburg S.C. with two of my employees. I own a commercial cleaning business this is my usual routine route every night. I saw an object which at first glance I thought this was a low flying plane but the object was moving at a very low rate of speed. With my head hanging out of my window now I gazed at the object for over a couple of minutes as I proceeded slowly down the road. The object was triangular and resembled a Stealth Fighter. My employee riding in the front seat saw the same thing I did. The employee in the back seat had limited view of the object. The object was traveling adjacent to my truck at a crawl speed and then to a hover. It appeared dark-toned and had lights at each tip of its triangular shape. I was near 1604 East Main when I turned in the parking lot of the bank to further look at the object. When I entered the parking area the object ascended slowly to a higher altitude and slowly gained speed moving in the opposite direction I saw it first traveling in. The object was silent no engine noise or jet sounds. The flight pattern made me conclude this is not an airplane, jet, helicopter or anything of that nature. The object left my sight as it moved across the sky opposite from the parking lot." This witness also submitted the sighting to MUFON with slightly different wording: Submitted Date:2008-05-13 20:30 GMT Event Date: 2008-05-13 19:30 GMT City: Spartanburg Region: South Carolina Country: US Summary: It was triangle shaped, it had lights at every point,it was hovering-moving slow I was traveling home on us 29 aka east main st spartanburg sc with 2 of my employees.I own a commercial cleaning business this is my routine route every night. I saw a object which appeared to be an airplane at first glance .The object was moving at a slow rate of speed to a stand still position. My head was hanging out of the window gazing upward and I viewed the object for what seemed to be a couple of minutes. The object was triangular and appeared to resemble a stealth fighter. My co-worker riding in the front saw the same object that I did. I am not a firm beliver in UFO's,as a matter of fact until tonight I have never really thought they exist. But what I saw I cannot explain,it was not an airplane,jet or anything that would come close because of the pattern of flight. The object was traveling adjacent to my truck then slowed to a crawl speed and then seemed to hover. Suddenly,it went in the opposite direction at a slow then high rate of speed. Then I lost sight of it.The object appeared dark toned and had lights at each tip of its triangular shape. I felt arkward after I viewed the object thinking to myself what have I just saw and was talking to my employee about the sighting. The statements above are exactly what I viewed and are absolutely true!Whether it was an UFO I don't know, but it was a surreal experience. Click on image to see full sized version on MUFON: MUFON submission This report would likely have been posted quicker than the NUFORC report. It would seem that several witnesses saw a triangular craft within 15 minutes of each other in the Greenville area that night. Or, did the "15 miles from Greenville" person read the Spartanburg report and then concoct the "full moon" event? I don't personally think that this was possible. How and why would anyone be sitting waiting for a triangular craft sighting report to appear somewhere, fabricate a sighting that takes place 15 minutes before that event, not too far away (maximum of 42 miles,) and get the sighting report filed less than 12 hours later? Did a "real" event take place that night over Spartanburg? Or is this just another part of the saga? I think that the Spartanburg report is possibly genuine. He refers exactly to where he was at the time, and there is no pretty photograph. Just a sketch of what he saw. All the other reports have "photographic evidence." In 2009, more sightings were reported in South Carolina. On 16th March 2009 (exactly a year to the day before the most recent event in Greenville,) a witness named "Greg" had a sighting near his home. He submitted 3 images, one of which appears below. http://www.ufocasebook.com/2009/sc031609.html Greg stated: "I was sitting outside waiting for the mailman to come by my home. The weather was overcast most of the day. The object in my photographs made no sound. It was pretty far away. I could barely make out the object through my camera LCD screen. This happened in South Carolina. Camera make and model: Konica Minolta-DiMage Z20. Three photographs taken on 03-16-2009, at 4:28 PM Greg" Author's note: The mail man delivers quite late in the day in this area, it seems. Then in May 2009 another event was reported, yet again in Greenville, South Carolina. http://www.ufocasebook.com/2009b/greenvillesc052609.html The witness states: "On May 26, 2009, at 12:30 PM, I was outside watching some thunderstorms pass by over my home. I had my camera with me, hoping to get a photo or two of some lightning. Instead this strange looking jet plane came from the northwest, and headed south. I thought that maybe it was a new type of aircraft the military was flying. I didn't hear any engine sound, but then again, there was thunder in the background. The sighting occurred in Greenville, South Carolina. Camera used was a Minolta Z5. Thanks, C. Salvo" NOTE: The camera mentioned in the above report is a Minolta Z5. Now to the most recent sighting that is purported to have occurred on the 16th March 2010 in Greenville, South Carolina. Here are the two images again: Below the submitted images was a short report by the witness to this event: "On March 16, 2010... I saw a bright red light coming from a distance. I thought that maybe an airline plane was on fire, and grabbed my camera. Instead, it was a large triangle plane with a very bright, red strobe in the center of it, (almost like it was on fire). It seemed to be climbing in altitude. By the time I went to the backyard, it already entered the clouds and was gone! This happened in Greenville, South Carolina at 8:03 PM. Thank you, Mr. H" These images appear to have been taken from a front porch or verandah, possibly on Mr. H's property. I am wondering where he was located when he first caught sight of the object? He mentions how he saw the red light "coming from a distance." As the area appears to be a subdivision and there are trees in the neighbourhood, albeit with little or no foliage due to the season, I am wondering what sort of distance he would be able to see from his ground floor porch if that was where he was when he first caught sight of the object. He must have had his Minolta Z5 quite close at hand as he said "I grabbed my camera," and he then succeeded in capturing two images of the object as it approached from over the trees and then passed over his neighbourhood. The images were taken 13 seconds apart. If he was on his porch or verandah, then why not step out and get a clearer view of the sky without the porch pillars in the way? But that being said, well done Mr. H for being in the right spot at the right moment. "Dans les champs de l'observation le hasard ne favorise que les esprits préparés ( Lecture, University of Lille - 7 December 1854 ) "In the fields of observation chance favors only the prepared mind." - Louis Pasteur. Minolta Z5 Camera data for above event Some Observations If we read over these brief submissions by witnesses there are commonalities that start to emerge. I believe in coincidences, but here are some points that I noted from the above: Two witnesses used the phrase "and grabbed my camera." Mr. H on the 16th March 2010, and the witness who was photographing on 19th April 2008 over the house roofs that resemble the roofs in Mr. H's photographs. The Konica-Minolta DiMage Z5 seems to be a favoured camera and was used by witnesses on 19th April 2008, 13th May 2008, 26th May 2008 (by C.Salvo,) and 16th March 2010 (by Mr.H.) The witness who was sitting in his/her back yard "about 15 miles from Greensville"(sic) was, apparently, the same person who took the photographs of the 19th April 2008 triangular object in Greenville itself. So did he/she move house between 19th April and 13th May, does he/she have two homes, or was he/she visiting elsewhere that day? It is interesting to note that in the 13th May 2008 sighting no mention is made of the 19th April 2008 event. Had he/she forgotten about it? I would think that a witness having two similar sightings would be very excited and surely compare the events! Also, the house roofs that appear in the 19th April 2008 photographs seem very similar to the house roofs in the 16th March 2010 photographs. So did this witness take all three sets of photographs? Then we have the "odd man out" sighting that occurred over Spartanburg, South Carolina, 15 minutes after the "full moon" sighting of 13th May 2008 about 15 miles from Greenville. This report was not accompanied by elaborate photographic evidence, just a hand-drawn sketch of the event. Do Mr.H and C.Salvo have anything in common other than both owning a Minolta DiMage Z5 camera? They are both very polite. At the end of C. Salvo's report we see "Thanks," and at the end of Mr. H's report we see "Thank you." Then there's "Greg" who used a Minolta DiMage Z20 on the day he was waiting for the mailman at 4.28 p.m. Greg used the phrase "this happened in South Carolina" about his sighting of a black triangle on the 16th March 2009, exactly a year before the Greenville event captured by Mr. H. Mr. H used the phrase "This happened in Greenville, South Carolina" for his 16th March 2010 event, exactly a year after Greg's event. I conclude that people do a good amount of watching the sky and thunderstorms in Greenville and its environs. Some of these people have Minolta DiMage Z5 cameras almost at the ready, and have had the opportunities to document fly-bys of dark triangular-shaped aerial objects. XUT April 2010 Update: 28th December 2011 Another 2009 sighting of a similar triangular craft has been submitted to UFO Casebook. Yet again a Konica Minolta digital camera has been utilised. They seem very popular in South Carolina. Simpsonville, South Carolina - 08-26-09 I was sitting in the car outside of Wal-Mart, when I saw this grayish plane flying high in the sky. I took 2 pictures of it, but never knew what kind of plane it was. A friend at work told me it looked like a Navy steath jet that was cancelled years back. The sighting took place a few years ago in Simpsonville, South Carolina. I believe it was called an A3 Jet? Camera - KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL Praise the Lord and God Bless, B.W. Thank you to the lady who allowed us to publish her photographs. Click on images below for full size versions SUBMISSION TO UFO CASEBOOK Two Clear Photographs Taken of Triangle Object over South Carolina I obtained the "original" images (not the edited versions linked from the above) that were submitted to B.J. Booth at UFO CASEBOOK and extracted the camera information. IMAGE ONE: Make = "KONICA MINOLTA" Model = "DiMAGE Z5" Software = "DiMAGE Z5 v1.01" Exposure Time = 1/400 s F Number = F8.0 Date/Time Original = "2009:08:26 16:23:31" IMAGE TWO: Make = "KONICA MINOLTA" Model = "DiMAGE Z5" Software = "DiMAGE Z5 v1.01" Exposure Time = 1/400 s F Number = F8.0 Date/Time Original = "2009:08:26 16:23:36" In both instances, the images, when run through JPEG Snoop, showed that they could well be original/unedited. However, editing/processing can simply mean that they were downloaded from the camera (the good old faithful DiMAGE Z5) via the camera software rather than being copied straight from the camera SD card and pasted to the computer's hard drive. ASSESSMENT: Class 3 - Image has high probability of being original It still fascinates me just how the same type of camera has cropped up in case after case of triangular craft sightings in South Carolina. Coincidence? Maybe.